Managing Director

After graduating from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering, Andrew Woodburn worked as an engineer in the platinum group metals division of a mining research house in South Africa. He then attended Oxford University, UK where he obtained a Social Studies graduate diploma certificate and an MSc degree in Development Economics.

In 1995 he served as an associate consultant with Whitehead Mann (London), a leading Executive Search and HR consultancy, doing international search and recruitment projects over a host of sectors. He was identified by a leading global brewing company and brought back to South Africa to perform a corporate strategy role delivering change management, management information and scenario planning to the board. This led to Marketing where his involvement in leading brands and new product development provided a platform to leverage his strategic insight and creative flair into the commercial arena.

Andrew then joined the startup team of a new financial institution in 2000 where he was involved with founding the new bank by merging five finance businesses and creating a complete marketing department, and launching the brand. After the successful establishment as the leading micro finance institution in South Africa, Andrew moved into an entrepreneurial mode and founded a photographic business as well as undertaking the turn-around of a division in a law firm. He then started a consulting company engaging with blue chip clients such as Coca Cola, SAB miller etc, from which sprung WOW Interactive , delivering Online marketing/strategy consulting, Web design and integration, Performance Management, software development, data analysis and reporting services.

Andrew returned to Executive Search in 2007 and has been involved with senior searches in Retail, Mining, Heavy Industry, Communications, FMCG, Financial services and Parastatal Organisations. Andrew also has a passion for working alongside entrepreneurial, investment and Private Equity clients on bringing search processes into investment thinking.

He serves the community with Endeavor South Africa, a global non-profit, high impact entrepreneurial accelerator, in a panel role for entrepreneurial selection and as an advisory board member for successful businesses, he staffs regularly for the global organisation The Mankind Project. Andrew Woodburn is an avid mountain biker, scuba diver and nature enthusiast.

Andrew Woodburn was appointed Managing Director of Woodburn Mann (Pty) Limited on 1 October 2010.